Author Dana Hammer answers our questions:
The Brave Locomotive (2023) [Cinequest 2024]
Andrew Chesworth’s animated adventure is a neat and adorable tribute to the likes of Disney and classic Merrie Melodies tunes. It’s that classic tale about friendship, and commitment and loyalty above all else. While I was originally assuming this would be about a lot more, “The Brave Locomotive” keeps its intentions firmly planted in the more innocent side with a story about wicked companies and sticking to what works.
ATM (2022) [Cinequest 2024]
At three minutes in length there isn’t a ton of set up to “ATM” but it does have the particular feeling of a creepy past or SCP. The idea of a sentient ATM feels like something out of a dream but becomes a nightmare for a poor man one day. Director Ooullo’s experimental animated film is a mix of stop motion, absurdist humor and live action to form a tale about experiencing our wildest dreams and the whole idea of the sword of Damocles.
Imaginary (2024)
Take a bit of “Insidious,” a dash of “Annabelle Comes Home” with a heaping spoonful of “Pinocchio’s Revenge” and you get what is another dull genre installment from Blumhouse Pictures. Once the beaming genre studio, Blumhouse seems to be contractually obligated to release at least two horror movies a year, no matter what, and “Imaginary” feels like more of an obligation than anything. It’s a convoluted, and often dull movie that seems to really want to be a cerebral tale about PTSD and mental illness.
But mid-way you can sense the producers intervene when the narrative suddenly veers off in to a more commercial dark pseudo-Gaiman horror fantasy involving magical beings, and a weird dimension for imaginary creatures.
El Halcón (2023) [Cinequest 2024]
I appreciate what director Arlene Torres was going for with “El Halcón,” but her short drama is something I just couldn’t click in to. While there’s a lot of interesting potential in stories revolving around Latinos in lower class Los Angeles, “El Halcón” is tough to watch mainly because it’s so centered on trite story beats and over schmaltzy melodrama. I could never really empathize with or connect with any of the characters, as everything in “El Halcón” felt so disingenuous and forced. Everyone feels over rehearsed or struggling to build this friction that could enhance the narrative’s whole sense of tragedy.
Bunny to the Moon (2023) [Cinequest 2024]
The team of Akira Maynard, Sammy Liu, and Justine Fong really do create something so unbelievable and special with “Bunny to the Moon.” It’s a classic tale about friendship, companionship, and the idea of sacrifice and learning to care for oneself before caring for others. Although the “Bunny to the Moon” does suffer from a run time that could have used at least ten more minutes, the short is beautifully animated and feels so much like a callback to films like “E.T.” or “My Neighbor Totoro.”
Producer, Promoter, Actress Amy Crabtree Interview [Women in Horror Month 2024]
Amy Crabtree is one of the biggest supporters of indie horror, her work is often to prop up other creators, so let’s give her the spotlight today.